47
15082.
No. 42.
SIR C. MACDONALD (PEKING) to the MARQUESS OF SALISBURY. (Sent 5.25 p.m., received 7.15 p.m., May 12, 1900.)
(Paraphrase.)
TELEGRAM.
No. 61. Your telegram of yesterday's date, No. 57. I replied as follows to Colonel Dorward's telegram :-
-
"I interviewed the Tsung-li Yamên yesterday with regard to the refusal of the
Chinese Commissioners to continue demarcation. They said that peremp tory orders had been sent to the Commissioners to continue the demarca- tion in conjunction with the British Commissioners. Yamên, however, still advocate delay, with a view of calming the public feeling. I told them that I saw no reason for further delay, as you reported that the general outlook was reassuring."
15752.
No. 45.
SIR C. MACDONALD (Peking) to the MARQUESS OF SALISBURY. (Sent 4.35 p.m., received, Foreign Office, 1.45 p.m., May 19, 1900.) TELEGRAM.
(Paraphrase.)
Report received from Commissioner (at Wei-hai-wei) that the frontier demarca- tion has been peacefully completed, Chinese Commissioners being absent.
17187.
No. 46.
FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received June 1, 1900.)
[Answered by No. 47.]
15492.
No. 43.
SIR C. MACDONALD (PEKING) to the MARQUESS OF SALISBURY. (Sent 2.40 p.m., received 3.20 p.m., May 17, 1900.)
(Paraphrase.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 44.]
No. 65. Referring to your telegram, No. 52.† I have received an answer from the Tsung-li Yamên to my despatch forwarding your message. They say that tele- grams received from the Governor of Shantung show that popular excitement is stul running high, that the killing of so many Chinese requires investigation, and that they accordingly wish delimitation to be postponed. They also say that if the British Com- missioners proceed without the Chinese Commissioners, the Chinese Government will not recognize the boundary line so delimited.
As to the possibility of the responsibility lying with China, they say that the dis- turbances were caused by the British Commissioners' refusal to postpone delimitation, and that the responsibility undoubtedly lies with Great Britain, because thirty Chinese were killed, while only five on the British side were wounded.
15492.
No. 44.
THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY to SIR C. MACDONALD (PEKING). (Sent 6.30 p.m., May 17, 1900.)
TELEGRAM.
(Paraphrase.)
With reference to your telegram, No. 65, of to-day's date, relative to distur- bances at Wei-hai-wei, tell the Tsung-li Yamên that Her Majesty's Government can- not, for the reasons already given, consent to demarcation being postponed.
Should the British Commissioners be obliged to finish the delimitation without the co-operation of the Chinese, we shall maintain the line so demarcated, and shall decline to entertain any proposals for modification.
1
SIB,
Foreign Office, May 31, 1900. In consequence of an urgent application from Her Majesty's Commissioner at Wei-hai-Wei that an officer of the China Consular Service should be placed at his disposal, Her Majesty's Minister at Peking in December last detached Mr. Barton, an Acting Assistant in the service, for that duty.
I am directed by the Marquess of Salisbury to inform
that a you been received from Sir C. MacDonald, in which he reports that he has made a provisional despatch has now arrangement by which Mr. Barton continues to draw his salary as Acting Assistant in Her Majesty's Consular Service (£300 a year) from the Legation Chest while employed on this service.
Sir C. MacDonald understands that Her Majesty's Commissioner at Wei-hai-Wei is taking steps to obtain for the Consular Officer stationed there, an allowance in addition of £100 a year from the funds administered by your Department, and also free quarters and travelling allowances.
Lord Salisbury proposes to approve the arrangement by which Mr. Barton will continue to draw his pay as an Acting Assistant from Consular funds while detached for service at Wei-hai-Wei; but His Lordship considers that any further expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Consular Officer so detached, should form part of the cost of administering the port.
As it appeared from your letter of March 19th, that the administration of the leased territory would not be immediately taken over by the Colonial Office, a communication to the foregoing effect was addressed to the Secretary of State for War, but His Lordship was informed in reply that the Commissioner at Wei-hai-Wei has, save in military matters, already been placed under the direction of the Colonial Office, and that therefore the question of Mr. Barton's additional remuneration and expenses whilst acting under him would be a matter for the consideration of your Department.
17187.
SIR,
No. 47.
I am, &c.,
COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE.
F. H. VILLIERS.
Downing Street, June 6, 1900.
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 31st ultimot respecting the temporary employment of Mr. Barton, Acting Assistant in the China Consular Service, at Wei-hai-Wei.
2. In reply I am to request you to inform the Marquess of Salisbury that the civil administration of Wei-hai-Wei has not yet been taken over by this Department, and that
• Not printed.
↑ No. 41.
‡ No. 43.
• No. 23.
↑ No. 46.
F
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882
6
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.